The debate continues over a spaceport in the works for coastal Georgia. As of this week, all of Georgia’s Members of Congress support the project.
Rep. Buddy Carter wrote a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration this week in favor of the spaceport and the economic opportunity it could be for the coastal area. He easily got his fellow Georgia representatives to sign it as well.
“All of them are in favor of economic development,” he said. “They think this is a great project, a unique opportunity certainly and it was no problem at all getting them to sign on.”
Georgia’s U.S. Senators signed a similar letter in April.
Carter said he has heard concerns about the spaceport but thinks they have been “addressed.” He said most Camden County residents are in favor of it, “so that’s what we’re going with.”
Jim Renner owns land on Little Cumberland Island and is not convinced.
“Look at every other commercial spaceport in the country,” he said. “They are money losers, that survive on taxpayer funding.”
Renner and other critics say a spaceport would have negative environmental effects and put the Cumberland Island National Seashore at risk to falling rockets.
“It’s not surprising to me that our Congressional delegation would support what they think is an important economic development project,” Renner said. “What is very disappointing to me is Camden County’s lobbyists and PR consultants continue to spread misinformation to our elected representatives at all levels. ”
Kevin Lang is also a Little Cumberland landowner. He said he too understands why there is political support for the project, but that ultimately it “doesn’t matter” because “it doesn’t change the FAA’s role in ensuring the safety of the public.”
Lang highlighted that this spaceport would be “unprecedented” because the proposed launch trajectories pass over residences and people.
Camden County is working through the public comments recently submitted and still has to submit its formal application to the FAA.
